Mr. Peabody & Sherman(2014 - March 7)
Animation | Adventure | Comedy
1 hr. 32 min.
Rated: PG | Brief Rude Humor and Some Mild Action
Grade: C+
Director: Rob Minkoff
Writers: Jay Ward (based on the series produced by), Craig Wright (screenplay), 3 more credits
Stars: Ty Burrell, Max Charles, Stephen Colbert | See full cast and crew
Mr. Peabody (Ty Burrell), the most accomplished canine in the world, and
his boy, Sherman (Max Charles), use a time machine called the Wabac to
embark on outrageous adventures. However, when Sherman takes the Wabac
without permission to impress his friend Penny (Ariel Winter), he
accidentally rips a hole in the universe and causes havoc with world
history. It's up to Mr. Peabody to mount a rescue and prevent the past,
present and future from being permanently altered.
Mr. Peabody & Sherman arrived
in theaters not quite via the 'way back' but indeed with high expectations for oldsters that grew up on the original Jay Ward cartoons from the Rocky and Bullwinkle Show of the late 50s and 60s. 
Unfortunately the remake is rather bland and lacks the freshness of the original TV series. It's
not that it's a horrible animated film, it's just not an exceptional film. There
have been so many animated films as of late and they are all pretty much
on the same level, serviceable and perhaps entertaining for the kids
but not so much for the parents who take them. I saw the 3D version and
wouldn't recommend it, it has little to add to the experience, just a
way for the studio to charge more for the tickets. 
Mr. Peabody & Sherman's animation harkens
back to the paintings of banal big eyed waifs of the 60s. There are Lots of celebrities who voices lend their talents to the story, Patrick Warburton, Stanley Tucci, Stephen Colbert (to name just a few), which might be enough to hold the interest of some viewers but it wasn't enough to win me over. It lacks the simple charm of the original. The screenplay could have benefited from more puns and a little less of the convoluted story line.
Like a lot of the current wave of animated films it feels like it was made solely for the purpose of raking in some cash from the built in audience of nostalgia driven parents and the introduction of some new cartoon characters for the wee ones but in the end there isn't enough charm or double entandre humor in the puns to do justice to the original material. There is some mildly rude humor but nothing raunchy and no profanity so it is safe for viewing with the entire family.
Cast
Ty Burrell Max Charles Ariel Winter
Mr. Peabody Sherman Penny Peterson
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